Antitheft starting and ignition system

ABSTRACT

An antitheft starting and ignition system includes an activating circuit for selectively operating a starting and ignition circuit. The activating circuit includes a second solenoid relay integrally attached to the starter. The primary of the second solenoid relay operates to start the starter when a predetermined voltage different from that of the starting and ignition circuit is present in such primary. This predetermined voltage is supplied to the primary of a distributor relay. This primary closes the secondary of the distributor relay to provide current to the distributor points only when the predetermined voltage is present in the primary. The primary of the distributor relay is grounded only when the starter switch is in the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;START&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position.

United States Patent Inventor Eugene B. Buchanan Beaverbrook Road, Box449, RD. #4, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550 Appl. No. 45,122 I Filed June 10, I970Patented Dec. 14, I971 ANTITHEFI STARTING AND IGNITION SYSTEM 9 Claims,6 Drawing Figs.

0.8. CI 307/10, 340/64, [80/1 14 Int. Cl H02g 3/00 Field of Search307/9, 10; l80/l 14; 340/63, 64

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,525,4l4 8/1970 Copelan 307/l0ATPrimary Examiner-Herman J. Hohauser AttorneyWenderoth, Lind & PonackABSTRACT: An antitheft starting and ignition system includes anactivating circuit for selectively operating a starting and ignitioncircuit. The activating circuit includes a second solenoid relayintegrally attached to the starter. The primary of the second solenoidrelay operates to start the starter when a predetermined voltagedifferent from that of the starting and ignition circuit is present insuch primary. This predetermined voltage is supplied to the primary of adistributor relay. This primary closes the secondary of the distributorrelay to provide current to the distributor points only when thepredetermined voltage is present in the primary. The primary of thedistributor relay is grounded only when the starter switch is in theSTART" position.

STARTER I SWITCH LL I IEGULA INVENTOR EUGENE B. BUCHANAN Patented Dec.14, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I g: .1

j l l l L J BY I Mfi; gm v ATTORNEYS Patented Dec, 14, 1971 3,628,056

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EUGENE B. BUCHANAN ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 14,1971 3 Sheets-Sheet a FlG.3A

FIGBB N mA NN EA VH NC U B B E N E G U E ANTITI-IEFI STARTING ANDIGNITION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a system whereby it is madevirtually impossible to bypass the starter motor to jump-start thevehicle engine.

The theft or unauthorized operation of motor vehicles, particularlyautomobiles, has become a very great problem in modern society. Manyattempts have been made to develop systems devised to prevent suchthefts. For instance, the ignition system of the vehicle has beenprovided with circuitry to sound the vehicle horn or some other alarmupon the unauthorized use of the vehicle. In addition, systems have beendeveloped which require that a series of sequential switches or dials beoperated to activate the ignition switch. Also, systems have beendeveloped which comprise a series of latches to prevent the entry intothe vehicle.

However, for various reasons none of these systems have met with anygreat degree of success. All such prior art systems are expensive.Furthermore, such systems are complicated and time consuming to operate.In addition, all such prior art systems suffer from the inherentdisadvantage that it is relatively easy to bypass the system and thestarter motor to jump-start the vehicle motor.

With this background in mind, it is a principle object of the presentinvention to provide a motor vehicle starting and ignition system whichprevents the unauthorized starting of the motor vehicle without theignition key.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a systemin which it is virtually impossible to bypass the starter motor tojump-start the vehicle engine.

lt is an even further object of the present invention to provide such asystem which is inexpensive to manufacture and install.

lt is a yet further object of the present invention to provide such asystem which requires no additional manipulative operation by thevehicle operator.

These objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention by aprovision of a conventional starting and ignition circuit such as al2-volt circuit, which has been modified to be activated by anactivating circuit operable at a different voltage, such as for examplesix. volts. The activating circuit includes a solenoid relay which is inaddition to the conventional starter solenoid relay and which isconnected to the casing of the starter motor. The conductor from thestarter switch to the second solenoid relay includes a constant voltageregulator therein which converts the voltage through the primary of theadditional solenoid relay from twelve to six volts. The additionalsolenoid relay is integrally fastened to the casing of the starter motorin such a manner that there are no exposed terminals on the output sideof the relay or on the input side of the starter.

The output wire of the primary of the additional solenoid is notgrounded, but is rather connected to a novel distributor relay withinthe ignition distributor. The output wires enters the distributor belowthe breaker plate thereof and is connected to the primary of thedistributor relay. A l2-volt wire from the conventional ignition coilconnects to a contact arm of the secondary of the distributor relay. Thecontact arm is made of magnetically attractable material and is adaptedto close contact with a soft iron output contact by the primary of thedistributor relay when precisely six volts flows therethrough.

The output of the primary of the distributor relay is then connected toa contact on the starter switch which is adapted to be closed, therebygrounding the output of the distributor relay, only when the starterswitch is in the start position. When precisely six volts flows throughthe primary of the distributor relay, the contact arm is caused tocontact the soft iron output contact, thereby providing current to thedistributor points which operate in the conventional manner. When eithermore or less than precisely six volts is in the primary of thedistributor relay, the contact arm will not contact the soft iron outputcontact. Therefore, there will not be current to the distributor points,and the engine may not be started.

All wires leading to and from the distributor relay enter thedistributor below the breaker plate thereof. In addition, none of thesewires are color coded. Furthermore, the additional solenoid relay whichis attached to the starter motor casing has a circuit breaker in theprimary thereof. Therefore, if more than six volts is applied to theprimary of the additional solenoid, the circuit will be opened, therebypreventing the actuation of the primary of the distributor relay.

Other objects and features of the invention will be made clear by thefollowing description, taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration partly in schematic and partly in crosssection of the additional solenoid relay used in the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of thedistributor relay of the presentinvention shown in the off position or in the position wherein less thanthe required voltage is supplied to the primary;

FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of the distributor relay of the presentinvention wherein there is precisely the required voltage through theprimary and wherein the secondary is in the operative position;

FIG. 3C is in a schematic diagram of the distributor relay of thepresent invention wherein more than the required voltage is present inthe primary; and

FIG. 4 is an illustration partly in schematic and partly in crosssection 'of the ignition switch and circuit used in the presentinvention.

With reference now to the drawings, the present invention will bedescribed in detail. In FIG. I is shown a schematic diagram of thecircuitry of a starting and ignition system for motor vehicles inaccordance with the present invention. A suitable battery such as a 12-volt battery having positive and negative terminals is shown byreference numeral 1. The negative tenninal is grounded through wire 2 ina conventional manner. The positive terminal of the battery is connectedto supply 12 volts through wire 3 to a starter switch 4. The positiveterminal of the battery also supplies 12 volts to the secondary of aconventional solenoid relay 6. A wire 7 provides 12 volts from thestarter switch to the secondary of solenoid relay 6. The solenoid 6operates in the conventional manner, wherein coil 6a causes contact 6bto close. Coil 6a is grounded in the normal manner. When switch 6b isclosed, 12 volts are thus supplied through wire 8 to the secondary of anadditional solenoid relay 9.

A wire 10 supplies 12 volts from starter switch 4 to a voltage regulator11. Voltage regulator 11 includes a constant voltage regulator 12 and adiode l3. Constant voltage regulator 12 changes the voltage from 12volts to some other desired voltage, for instance 6 volts. Diode l3 actsto insure that current may not be supplied in the reverse direction tothe starter switch. A wire 14 supplies the reduced voltage, such as 6volts, to the secondary of the additional solenoid relay 9. Coil 9a ofthe secondary of solenoid relay 9 acts to close switch 9b in aconventional manner. Solenoid relay 9 also includes a circuit breaker 15to cut off voltage thereto when a voltage higher than 6 volts issupplied thereto. When switch 9b of the secondary of solenoid switch 9is operative, 12 volts is supplied through wire 16 to the vehiclestarting motor 17. Starting motor 17 operates and is grounded in aconventional manner.

The output of the primary of solenoid relay 9 is not grounded, butrather provides 6 volts to the primary 19a of a novel distributor relay19. A wire 20 provides l2 volts from starter switch 4 to a conventionalignition coil 21. The primary of the ignition coil through wire 22 leadsto the secondary of distributor relay 19. The secondary of distributor19 includes a moveable contact arm 23 made of magnetically attractablematerial. The secondary of the distributor relay 19 also includes a softiron output contact 24. Wire 25 leadsfrom the soft iron output contact24 to the distributor points 26. The distributor points 26 are operatedin a conventional manner when current is supplied thereto through wire25. When the correct voltage is supplied from the primary of solenoidrelay 9 through wire 18 and the primary 19a of distributor relay 19,contact arm 23 will be attracted by the field created by the primary 19aand will be caused to contact the soft iron output contact 24. This willcomplete the circuit and allow current to flow through wire 25 to thedistributor points 26. The output of the primary 19a of distributorrelay 19 is connected to the starter switch through wire 27. A diode 28is provided in wire 27 to prevent reverse current flow therethrough. Acontact 29 is provided on starter switch 4 and is contacted only whenthe ignition key of the starter switch is in the start" position. In allother positions of the ignition key, the contact 29 is not contacted,and the circuit is thus opened.

With reference now to H0. 2 of the drawings, the additional solenoidrelay 9 will be described in further detail. Solenoid 9 includes casing90 and terminals 9d and 9e. Terminal 9e is connected to the interior ofstarter housing 30 by means such as screw nut 31. Wire 16 leads to thestarter brushes, but is not accessible unless the starter is dismantledand taken apart. Wire 8 is connected to terminal 9d and is adapted toprovide 12 volts to wire 16 when switch 9b of the secondary of solenoidrelay 9 is closed. Wire 14 provides 6 volts through terminal 32 to theprimary of solenoid relay 9. When this voltage is supplied to coil 9a,switch 9b is closed. If more than 6 volts is supplied from wire 14,circuit breaker will be actuated to open the circuit. The outlet of theprimary of solenoid relay 9 is connected to wire 18 through terminal 33.

With reference now to FIGS. 3A through 3C ,of the drawings thedistributor relay of the present invention will be described in moredetail. FlG. 3A illustrates the position of the distributor relay in theoff" position or when less than the required voltage, such as 6 volts,is supplied to the primary thereof. In this position, there is notenough of a magnetic field to attract the contact arm 23 into contactwith soft iron output contact 24. Therefore, the circuit of thesecondary of the distributor relay 19 is opened, and no current can flowto the distributor points. Therefore, the vehicle engine cannot bestarted.

F [6. 38 illustrates the operative position of the distributor relay 19when exactly the desired voltage, such as 6 volts, is supplied to theprimary of the distributor relay. In this operative position, thedesired voltage creates a sufficient magnetic field to attract thecontact arm 23 into contact with the soft iron output contact 24. Thus,the circuit of the secondary of the distributor relay 19 is completed,and I2 volts are allowed to pass to the distributor points. Therefore.the vehicle engine may be started.

FIG. 3C illustrates the position of the distributor relay 19 when morethan the desired voltage, such as 7 or more volts, is supplied to theprimary of the distributor relay. When this occurs, the magnetic fieldcreated by coil 19a is so great that the contact arm 23 is attractedpast the point of contact with soft iron output contact 24. Therefore,the circuit of the secondary distributor relay 19 is open, and currentcannot flow to the distributor points. Thus, the vehicle engine may notbe started.

A further provision of the present invention is that wires 18 and 22leading into the distributor and wire 27 leading from the distributor doso below the breaker plate of the distributor. Furthermore, wires 18, 22and 27 should not be color coded. By means of these provisions, it wouldbe extremely time consuming for an unauthorized operator or a thief todismantle and rewire the distributor so that the vehicle engine may bestarted.

With reference now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the starter switch of thepresent invention will be described in further detail. The starterswitch 4 may be of a generally conventional design and include a casing34 and a tumbler and switch element 37. A conventional element such as akey 35 is inserted into starter switch 4 to initiate the startingaction. As previously discussed, contact 29 is provided on the interiorof starter switch 4 and is contacted by the tumbler only when thestarter switch is in the start" position. During this time the primaryof the distributor relay is grounded through wire 27 and contact 29.When key 25 is in all other positions, the circuit of the primary of thedistributor relay 19 is open and therefore inoperative. However, oncethe circuit has been satisfactorily operated to cause contact arm 23 tocontact the soft iron output contact 24, this relationship will bemaintained until the starter switch is turned to the off position. Thisis true since, once contact arm 23 has contacted soft iron outputcontact 24, it will remain in this position until current is terminatedthrough wire 20, coil 21 and wire 22.

A ridge 36 is provided in the interior of casing 34 to prevent theinsertion of a wire or other element within the starter switch to groundout contact 29. Thus, the only manner in which contact 29 maybe groundedand the circuit may be completed is by the insertion of the proper keyturned to the start position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description that therehas been provided an extremely simple and effective theft preventionsystem. In order for an unauthorized operator or a thief to start theengine of a vehicle equipped with this system, there must be provided anexternal power source of exactly the same voltage as that required tooperate the additional solenoid 9 and the distributor relay 19. in orderto rewire the present system to use an external source it would benecessary to dismantle both the starter and the distributor. Even for askilled mechanic this would take a considerable length of time. Thismanifestly will discourage unauthorized operations and thefts. inaddition, the primary of the distributor relay 19 must be grounded out.Since all of the wires entering and leaving the distributor are notcolor coded, it would be extremely difficult to choose which wire toground.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been described indetail, such description is intended to illustrative only, and notrestrictive, since many details of the operation and construction of theinvention may be altered or modified without departing from the spiritor scope thereof. For instance, the preferred embodiment has beendescribed as employing a voltage of 6 volts in the primary of theadditional solenoid relay and the primary of, the distributor relay.However, since 6 volts is easily duplicated, any desirable voltage maybe readily substituted. This may be easily preset as desired by a simplealteration of the voltage regulator. For instance, it is readilyapparent that a voltage of 5% volts would be extremely difficult toduplicate.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that although certain of theelements of the preferred embodiments have been illustrated as relays,it is to be understood that these elements could very easily betransistorized. it is to be further understood that the moreconventional features of the circuitry of the starting and, ignitionsystem may be modified in known and conventional manners.

We claim:

1. In a starting and ignition system having a starting and ignitioncircuit operating at a first voltage and comprising a starter switch, astarter, a starter solenoid relay and a distributor; the improvementcomprising an activating circuit operating at a second voltage differentfrom said first voltage and operatively associated with and operable toactivate said start ing and ignition circuit.

2. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidactivating circuit comprises a second solenoid relay having a primaryand a secondary and operatively connected to said starting and ignitioncircuit to activate said starter when said second voltage is present insaid primary, a distributor relay having a primary and a secondary andoperatively connected to said starting and ignition circuit to activatethe points of said distributor when said second voltage is present insaid primary of said distributor relay, and contact means forselectively grounding said primary of said distributor relay.

3. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 2, wherein theoutput of said secondary of said second solenoid relay leads to saidstarter and the output of said primary of said second solenoid relayleads to said primary of said distributor relay, and further comprisinga voltage regulator connected to the input of said primary of saidsecond solenoid relay for providing said second voltage therein.

4. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidsecond solenoid relay comprises a casing integrally fastened to thehousing of said starter, said output of said secondary of said secondsolenoid relay being within said I 6. A starting and ignition system asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the input of said primary of saiddistributor is connected to the output of said primary of said secondsolenoid relay, the output of said secondary of said distributor relayincludes an output contact connected to said points, and the input ofsaid secondary of said distributor relay includes a contact arm adaptedto be attracted into contact with said output contact only when saidsecond voltage is present in said primary of said distributor relay.

7. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 6, wherein saidinput and said output of said primary and said input of said secondaryof said distributor relay are not coded and extend through the casing ofsaid distributor below the breaker plate thereof.

8. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 2, wherein saidcontact means comprises a contact located within the interior of saidstarter switch and adapted to be grounded only when said starter switchis in the START position.

9. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidinterior of said starter switch has a ridge means therein for preventingthe unauthorized grounding of said contact,

1. In a starting and ignition system having a starting and ignitioncircuit operating at a first voltage and comprising a starter switch, astarter, a starter solenoid relay and a distributor; the improvementcomprising an activating circuit operating at a second voltage differentfrom said first voltage and operatively associated with and operable toactivate said starting and ignition circuit.
 2. A starting and ignitionsystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activating circuit comprisesa second solenoid relay having a primary and a secondary and operativelyconnected to said starting and ignition circuit to activate said starterwhen said second voltage is present in said primary, a distributor relayhaving a primary and a secondary and operatively connected to saidstarting and ignition circuit to activate the points of said distributorwhen said second voltage is present in said primary of said distributorrelay, and contact means for selectively grounding said primary of saiddistributor relay.
 3. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim2, wherein the output of said secondary of said second solenoid relayleads to said starter and the output of said primary of said secondsolenoid relay leads to said primary of said distributor relay, andfurther comprising a voltage regulator connected to the input of saidprimary of said second solenoid relay for providing said second voltagetherein.
 4. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 3,wherein said second solenoid relay comprises a casing integrallyfastened to the housing of said starter, said output of said secondaryof said second solenoid relay being within said housing.
 5. A startingand ignition system as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a circuitbreaker connected to said input of said primary of said second solenoidrelay adapted to open said activating circuit when a voltage greaterthan said second voltage is supplied thereto.
 6. A starting and ignitionsystem as claimed in claim 2, wherein the input of said primary of saiddistributor is connected to the output of said primary of said secondsolenoid relay, the output of said secondary of said distributor relayincludes an output contact connected to said points, and the input ofsaid secondary of said distributor relay includes a contact arm adaptedto be attracted into conTact with said output contact only when saidsecond voltage is present in said primary of said distributor relay. 7.A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said inputand said output of said primary and said input of said secondary of saiddistributor relay are not coded and extend through the casing of saiddistributor below the breaker plate thereof.
 8. A starting and ignitionsystem as claimed in claim 2, wherein said contact means comprises acontact located within the interior of said starter switch and adaptedto be grounded only when said starter switch is in the ''''START''''position.
 9. A starting and ignition system as claimed in claim 8,wherein said interior of said starter switch has a ridge means thereinfor preventing the unauthorized grounding of said contact.